


Halloween: The Unaccounted Hours

by escapee_lys



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: Additions to Canon, Adheres to unity rules of time and space, Alcohol, Drunken Confessions, Emotional highs and lows, Halloween, Memory Tampering, a little hint of jealousy, rich sets a fire
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-01
Updated: 2019-08-05
Packaged: 2019-08-13 22:01:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16480553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/escapee_lys/pseuds/escapee_lys
Summary: Jeremy Heere arrived at Jake's house around nine at night and left as dawn was rising. He partied, escaped Chloe, broke Michael's heart and failed to win over Christine, but are we really supposed to believe a teenage boy drank alcohol for the first time and didn't attempt something incredibly stupid? Or that all the gang did was dance?This is the full story of what went down that Halloween.Fair warning: I edit continuously.





	1. So This Is What a Party Is

Jeremy Heere had never been to a proper high school party before, one that involved drinking, and music, and really anything besides playing video games into the wee hours of the morning with a discarded mask around your neck.

When Jake had handed him a handmade flier predominantly consisting of the word “HALLOWEEN” the previous Wednesday, he'd felt excited and exuberant, sure this was the night he was finally going to live out a high school movie. But now, on Jake's doorstep, he suddenly felt a lot more nervous. What if he couldn't get with the groove? What if he embarrassed Brooke? What if he got laughed out by Chris-

 _Reactivate_ , he thought, and immediately his Squip appeared besides him.

 _Jeremiah, I was under the impression you were equipped to handle social interactions in a casual setting,_ he scoffed, leaning against the wall and tilting his chin up with a smirk. _But if you really_ need _me I will make myself useful._

Mockery straight from the get-go? So that's how he was playing tonight. If he was capable of feelings, the computer loved to tease his host. Jeremy liked to think of it as a form of affection. Of course, being the only crowd for the Squip’s  continuous sardonic stand-up routine could get irritating, but all the same it was sorta nice to have someone who acknowledged everything he did, good or bad. It made him feel a little less alone.

Reassured by the ghostly presence at his side, he inhaled deeply and let himself in.

 

His first thought was that the music was louder than anything he'd anticipated. The second was surprise at the mass of teens crowding every room, huddled around couches or tables lined with drinks. _Wow, I didn't think Jake had this many friends._

 _He doesn't_ , his Squip informed him. _They're here for the fun, and the free alcohol. Teenagers are remarkably self-centered. What they want, and what_ you _want, is a good time._

Oh. When he was a social outcast, he'd assumed that he was being shunned by a collective group. Maybe there were plenty of other losers who'd been better at getting invited places. All the same, he'd feel weird having people whom he didn't know at his house.

 

Brooke appeared, darting through the crowd to hug Jeremy. “I thought you weren't coming! Did you see my messages?”

He had. And he'd certainly felt guilty ignoring them. But the Squip had said he needed to ‘build anticipation’, so human decency went flying out the window.

“Am I late? I didn't even notice.”

Nodding a little anxiously, she took a step back to display her costume. “What do you think?” she purred, somewhat ironically, because for some godforsaken reason, Brooke has chosen to dress as a pink poodle.

Jeremy was dumbstruck. Did this happen sometimes? He'd assumed she would choose a career-themed outfit, or a cat or something. He was not prepared for a sexy dog. Thinking those words made his skin crawl a little as childhood memories of his pet golden retriever surfaced. What on earth was he supposed to say? Was this one of those trap situations where- _Vague compliment_ , the Squip commanded, looking bored, as if he whatever was going on was not worthy of his time.

“It's original -I mean amazing,” he added hurriedly, seeing the smile on her face start to slip. “Seriously, I can't believe I'm with a girl who _looks like you_.”

The last words slipped out under the Squip’s impulse. Why did he want Jeremy to be so rude to Brooke tonight? She was technically his girlfriend, after all. Daily, he went through the trouble of being socially acceptable with her, and now it was time to chuck that down the drain?

_Your relationship with her is running close to its term. She has proven useful, now you'll need to start letting her down._

_Right_. As much as he thought Brooke was a perfectly nice person, besides friendship, he didn't feel a thing for her. He wondered what the next target would be in his quest for Christine.

“You need a drink,” she declared, and took his hand to lead him through the house.

Almost everyone they passed was holding a large red cup. People were talking more animatedly, laughing a touch too loud. They stood up on chairs and bounced to the beat echoing from loudspeakers. A group of girls squealed loudly from the kitchen.

 _Good,_ the Squip mused, as Brooke led them downstairs. _You've got some time before the peak_.

The peak? How wild was this going to get?

 _Oh, you'll see_ , he chuckled.

 

“Chloe! See, he's here!” Brooke yelled, waving to her friend, trying to catch her attention. Rich and Chloe were perched atop what appeared to be the bar countertop as Jake mixed drinks. The room wasn't quite as full as the others, and apparently had its own source of alcohol. Jeremy had made it to the popular kids’ lounge.

“Jeremy! So cool you could make it, nice costume!”

“Thanks for the invite! And nice costume yourself.”

Jake grinned. “So, what do you wanna drink?”

Oh god. Jeremy's mind went blank. What could he say without giving away his total ignorance of parties? He'd never even been drunk before.

Thankfully, the Squip took over. “What do we have, mister bartender sir?”

Chloe giggled. “Yeah, Jake, stop messing around with the sodas and shake me a cocktail.” Something in her manner suggested to Jeremy that the drink she was waiting for wouldn't be her first.

“C’mon guys, it's Halloween, none of us are gonna remember _what_ we drank anyway, let's start the fun!” Jake pleaded.

 

Rich turned over to Jeremy and smirked. _He asked his squip to pass on a message to you through me,_ Jeremy heard. _“Beg him for one and you'll see Jake can't make cocktails for shit, he just likes showing off.”_ _It appears Rich has warmed up to you._

Can't you project a form? It's weird to only hear a voice. Also, since when can I speak telepathically to Rich, too?

_You’re not speaking to him, I'm speaking to his squip, it's very different. And- I think I would distract you at the moment. This is a make-or-break part of the night. You need to cement yourself as part of the group, and you won't achieve that while making eye contact with thin air._

“So, shots?” Brooke asked excitedly.

“Whoa, remember last time?” Jake laughed, and she blushed.

“What happened last time?” Jeremy questioned, taking one of the stools as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

“She did a few shots and fell off the porch. She was like, _sprawled_ out on the lawn. It was the funniest shit you've ever seen. She was so wasted she didn't even register it and kept screeching along to the music for a solid two minutes. Of course, she didn't know any of the words so it sounded like a preschooler’s poetry recital. Chloe had to throw her drink on her to get any reaction at all.”

“Which is why Brookie is not doing shots,” Chloe finished. “Not several at once, anyway. Hey, I know!” she exclaimed as Rich opened his mouth and then closed it. “Let's play a game! That way she can't black out and everyone has to spill their secrets. Jake, show me what you've got.”

He turned around and began to rummage through shelves.

“Chlo, which one do you wanna play?” asked Rich. It may have just been Jeremy's imagination, but his voice sounded a little nervous.

 

What are drinking games like? thought Jeremy.

_Someone asks questions, and depending on your answer you have to drink. It's hard to pinpoint a specific formula. Kids like them because the truth creates problems, and that's entertaining. It's the perfect occasion to reinvent yourself. With the mindset, you can get a lot out of the supposed truth._

Jeremy wondered when he'd stopped caring about dishonesty. Maybe life really was as the Squip said, a game to play to your own favor.

“Remember the thing I made up back in April? With the lies and the truths and that helped Rich hook up with Carmen?”

“This again?” Jake teased. “Who are you trying to get with?”

“I wasn't thinking only of _me_ , Jake,” Chloe said sweetly. “Isn't your little theatre friend supposed to show up? That gives us two newbies to make it interesting.”

“Look what I found!” Jake exclaimed too loudly, turning around with a tray. “Jello shots!”

The rest of the gang cheered. Jeremy felt his heart speed up. Christine was coming. She was coming for Jake, not him, and it pained him more than he cared to admit, but she would be there, nearby. Christine would sit down with him, play a truth game and they'd both get tipsy, and maybe ditch their dates to sit outside in the moonlight and then-

 _Focus,_ a stern voice reminded him. _You've still got a ways to go_.

 

All of his friends took two shots off the tray, one in each hand. Jeremy did the same.

“Crap, guys,” Rich said suddenly, hopping off the countertop and putting his shots back. “I told Madeleine I'd meet her twenty minutes ago. Drink now, game later?”

A chorus of boos called out in return, but Rich just winked and headed off.

“We can dance instead! Come on Jer, I wanna see what you've got!”

Jeremy smiled at Brooke’s enthusiasm. Chloe scoffed, miffed that nobody was sticking to her idea. She rolled her eyes, then suddenly took a shot, then another one. Blinking hard, she slammed her glasses on the bar and grinned.

“Let's do this! Come on, let's go!”

Brooke and Jake followed suit. Jeremy lifted the glass up to his mouth, thought _fuck it_ , and swallowed.

 

 _Woah._ It took all his self-control (and some of the Squip’s excellent reflexes) not to cough or gag. The drink slid down his throat like lightning, leaving burns down in its wake. Instantly, he felt something light rise to his brain and relaxed a little. The rush was like a gust of wind nipping at his skin, slightly painful but sort of pleasant. He guessed this was how the term ‘light-headed’ came about. So this was how people got drunk. He had to admit that so far, it was pretty alright.

Without any of his previous hesitation, he downed another, and shivered a little.

 

Brooke grabbed his arm. “Come on!”

Jake slid over the bar and the four of them rushed back upstairs, heading for the living room.

“There's Nothing Holding Me Back” was blaring. The party had really taken off since Jeremy’s arrival. A crowd a hundred strong had amassed in the living room, jumping and shimmying and screaming along to the music. The atmosphere was electric. The mob seemed to call out to Jeremy, inviting him to join in. Everywhere he looked, people laughed and cheered. _I want to be a part of this._ And for the first time ever, it didn't seem quite so impossible.

He slid his arm under Brooke’s, holding her shoulder blade, and pulled her away from Jake and Chloe so they could dance.

She was delighted and grabbed hold of his other hand. Together, they stepped, clapped, swayed and twirled. She was beaming at him eagerly, so he smiled back. The pounding of his heart fell into sync with the melodies as they fazed in and out. He felt euphoric, carefree, on top of the world. Everything outside of the dance floor vanished from his mind. Time didn't slow down, but it had kindly put itself out of sight so the suburban teenage population could bask in a beautiful void all night long. People latched onto Jeremy's arm and he joined them in their fun. He belted out song lyrics knowing he couldn't sing and didn't remember the words, enjoying the fact no one could hear him properly. He shouted jokes to strangers, and made up silly moves, and they all cheered back with him.

This was the most fun he'd had in ages. It all felt so natural, so ingrained, and everyone around him was having a blast, stumbling to the sound. He'd never felt this easygoing confidence before. He'd never been so universally liked either. He certainly regretted not being exposed to party life sooner.

 

He suddenly noticed the Squip standing a little ways off to the left, and wondered how long he'd been watching him.

He was still in the ocean of teenagers surrounding him, glowing softly with pale blue light. He looked surreal, like a ghost of an angel, untouched by the chaos around him. His eyes met Jeremy's with too much intensity and he felt himself blush a little. What train of thought was this wreck? Jeremy realized he could actively feel his buzz for the first time. It had been so intense he hadn’t even been aware of his mind, much less his inhibitions. What a ride. God, how long had he been dancing? His head felt a little heavy and his thoughts were slower than usual. Scanning the room quickly, he saw Jake with his arms in the air next to Christine, and Rich and Chloe on a sofa.

It just wasn't fair. Jeremy had been doing his best for the past few weeks, building up a social presence, learning to talk to girls, but to Christine he was still a nobody. He found he didn't want to party anymore. His spirits had descended along with the alcohol. There was no point in staying; he didn't even like the girl he was with.

Breaking away from the dance floor, he tugged Brooke over the others and fibbed about wanting to say hi to a friend. He marched off toward the hallway, and when he saw the Squip was behind him he darted into a bathroom and shut the door.

 

He hoped the Squip would start the conversation, but the man just gazed at him silently. What could he say? “I know I'm having the time of my life, but I'm really bummed out now”? Eventually, he settled on a muttered “are you ok” and turned away.

 _Me? You're at your first high school party and you're worrying about me?_ He grabbed Jeremy’s chin and tugged it back to face him.

Forced to stare into his electric-blue eyes, Jeremy preferred not to speak.

_Your concern is noted. The first time you manage to dance with a girl, you run off to me. Do you not like Brooke?_

“She's fine, I just don't feel that way about her..”

_She'd be willing to do a lot more than dance tonight. What's wrong with her?_

Jeremy’s bitterness burst through the dam he hadn’t even been aware of having built. “Yeah, well I spend so much time with her every single day trying to do whatever the hell you want out of this, and I realized it was all pointless because I barely even like her, and Christine still hasn't noticed me and everything just seemed like a waste and I wanted to get out, and seriously, is there something wrong with you?”

The Squip’s eyes were wide and far too focused. His hair was more tousled than usual and the tip of his nose had reddened a little during their conversation.

“Oh my god, are you drunk? Is that even possible?”

 _No,_ he said irritably. _Not really. You are, and that can affect me through you, depending how I choose._

“‘How you choose’? There are options?”

_Think of it like this: we share a linked bloodstream. There's still the same amount of alcohol there, it's just concentrated in your body or I can shift a bit to mine. This way, at least one of us keeps our wits._

“So you get drunk just like everyone else?”

_That knowledge isn't available. However, we are likely to be affected more drastically than humans, and in different ways, obviously, because the majority of our nervous system is controlled, instead of automatic like yours._

“What you're saying is that you can get drunk, it just won't appear as drunk to me?”

_Yes. Something of the sort. You were remarkably separated from reality for a while there. I materialized and you didn't even notice._

His tone was a little annoyed. “Um, sorry?” Jeremy mumbled.

_Don't picture to yourself that I cared. I absorbed a sliver of your buzz and that's when things started to unravel. This is the teenage dream. Is it not what you hoped for?_

Something softer and more vulnerable, more human, had slid over his features. His gaze asked _have I failed you_. Jeremy suddenly felt a little shy and didn't dare contradict him. His eyes flitted over the scene before him, unwilling to look the Squip in the eye again. He was very aware of the fingers brushing his throat.

 _Now, get out of here and back to your friends. If I didn't know better, with all these silences and the huddling in a small room with a party raging outside, I'd think you're waiting for me to make a move on you._ He let go of Jeremy’s face and trailed his hand downward, pausing to play with his shirt collar and peering up at him with a sly twinkle in his eyes.

His host let out a flustered squeak. Of course not, what did the Squip think he was talking about? How ridiculous. It was just typical of him, another sarcastic comment to get him back on track, his mind had wandered far away from where it should have been, although really, he expected to be more repulsed by the idea...

 _No,_ he told himself firmly. _That would be the alcohol talking_.

 _Then it's settled,_ the voice in his head concluded. _Go. Chloe wants to start her game, and you want to be on her good side tonight._

And with that, Jeremy unlocked the door and exited.


	2. Playing a Game, Among Others

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for chapter 2, where the question becomes: "when will they kiss?" Now, did I ever say this was that kind of fic? Maybe so, maybe not. Maybe definitely. Patience, my dears. In the meantime, take a peak at the ultimate teen-party drinking game, and some questionable feelings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After months of inactive online slumber (and a particularly hectic period irl), I return.

_Dart left, over there_ , a soft voice whispered into Jeremy's right ear. If he tried hard enough, he could almost feel the Squip’s gentle exhale hovering over his neck, sending his nerves aflame. His vision suddenly focused on a gap between two girls from his bio class. He did as he was told.

 _Nod at her_ , more instructions followed. _Show her that alluring glare you spend so much time working on in the bathroom_. The tone was mocking, and Jeremy was a touch miffed. But he obeyed.

To his surprise, Caroline’s eyes widened a little, and he saw her cheek dimple. _See. Wouldn't you know, I'm here to help._

The Squip led him through the crowd like a choreographer devising a performance, hands even grazing Jeremy’s shoulders at times, the evasive touches like wisps of sunlight at dawn, fuzzes of warmth guiding him to his place. Every move was calculated, every interaction was flawless. They made a good team, Jeremy supposed, the Squip as the artist and himself as the puppet, putting on a show for all to see.

He found the rest of the group settled around a couch, the emphasis more on the _around_ part than the couch itself: Brooke, for example, was lying down on the carpet, the bottom half of her body disappearing under a coffee table. And Christine was nowhere to be found. Just great. Jeremy flopped onto the couch with practiced nonchalance, quirked up an eyebrow in expectancy, and gave a little wave.

Jake cheered. “See Chloe, now you've got another guy, we're balanced.”

“Balanced?” Jeremy laughed brazenly. “I spy five people with my little eyes, so exactly how drunk are you, and can I get some?”

“Christine got volunteered to get the whiskey,” said Chloe in a bored tone. “We're playing my game now, and there will be consequences if you try to leave. Such me kidnapping and dumping you in Brooke’s basement."

Jeremy flashed an inquisitive glance at Brooke, who giggled.

“Don't worry about it,” she simpered. Jeremy felt a quiet surge of annoyance. The Squip hummed in agreement.

“Aw, c'mon Brooke!” cried Jake. “Save it for when you win. I don't need to know what happens down there! This game is the wackiest shit I've ever done,” he continued, shifting to face Jeremy from his place on the couch. “And I’ve tried acid. It's a mix of the worst memories you have from middle school, all the things you hope your parents never find out about, two truths and a lie, drinking, and peer pressure. It's awesome. Chloe got her cousin’s roommate to make it last year and we've all been hella entertained ever since.”

“When do we get to drink?” Inside, Jeremy was freaking out ever so slightly. He'd been nervous enough about the prospect of one game, not what the devil brought out for Family Night. What if he slipped and everyone remembered why he'd been a loser in the first place, and they all stopped talking to him, and who would drive him home-?

 _You will be fine_ , came the soothing voice of the Squip. _I'm here. Besides, I dare to hope we've gotten rid of some of those unfortunate behaviors of yours already._

‘Can't you materialize?” Jeremy pleaded. ‘I've been over how weird the disembodied voice thing is, and they're all drunk, they won't notice if I stare off.’

 _Rich isn't drunk._ ‘Rich is aware of your existence!’ _No, Jeremy. You can do this. I say so._

Jeremy suddenly felt an arm graze his. He looked up, and then away immediately. His heart started pounding, a frantic iambic meter, faster and faster until he finally remembered to breathe. It was Christine, holding a crate of whiskey. She handed him a bottle, and their fingers brushed. A flock of butterflies soared in his chest.

“Let's get this party started!” squeaked Brooke, beaming and lifting her drink up.

The others followed suit. They unscrewed the caps and turned to Chloe, who was clearly ready to start enjoying her moment.

She tapped her phone a few times. “Jake, you're first.” The teenager groaned. “Fire card. Pick a number from four to seventeen.”

“Twelve,” he replied, already preparing to take a swig. “My answer is always twelve.”

Chloe smiled wickedly. “Break something.”

“WHAT” Jake screeched, and the others started giggling.

“Break something, or drink twelve times.”

“These options are looking fan-freaking-tastic, Chlo.”

Christine looked a little nervous. “Are we really going to have to break things?”

Ignoring Chloe’s eye roll, Rich spoke up. “No, don't worry, the possibility of getting the same question twice is nonexistent-”

“It happened to you and Carmen!” Brooke cried. “I remember ‘cause the last part of my innocence died that day, specifically when I walked in on you in the wine cellar”.

“Yeah, well, it won't happen again,” Rich muttered, flushing.

“Back to Jake,” Chloe said slyly. “What'll it be?”

“I guess,” he said slowly, “I've never liked that one yellow vase in the entry all that much.”

“Are you sure? You don't have to wreck anything if you don't want to-” Christine's anxious muttering was cut short.

“He's playing the _game_ , so of course he has to do it.”

The group fell into uneasy quiet. Jeremy racked his brain for something, anything to say, but came up short. He was suddenly aware of the Squip’s firm hand between his shoulder blades, pressing against his spine. Ghostly fingertips tapped lightly on bare skin. He sat up straighter.

“Break a vase!” The words erupted from his mouth. “Break a vase, break a vase!”

Rich joined in, then Brooke. “Break a vase!” The two remaining girls took up the chant as well.

Jake grinned and got up to walk towards the hallway. He picked up a small plain yellow vase with a daisy motif. Making his way back to the group, he suddenly paused and threw it on the ground with all his might. It shattered with a resounding crack and bits of pottery spread all over the room.

Everyone cheered. “Completed!” yelled Chloe, beaming maniacally. “Now, who's next?”

 

Over the next half hour, one by one, the gang subjected themselves to the Game. If Jeremy had doubted Chloe’s little source of drunken fun, he had been sorely mistaken. This was the most entertained he'd ever been in his life. It was also the most terrified, but hey, take the highs with the lows.

His questions hadn't been too soul-scarring so far: Chloe had wanted to know if he and Brooke had done the deed yet, a hard _NO_ , Rich had tricked him into spilling some freshman year dirt on a few guys in their Math class (the story in question involved a stapler, LSD, a teacher's polka-dot skirt, a certain, say, _liking_ for something, and one particular abandoned hallway; unfortunately, he'd only halfway managed to repress it) and he'd taken a few swigs in a never-ending Never Have I Ever standoff between Jake and Chloe. They were still at it.

“Never have I ever,” Jake began, smirking maliciously, “made out with a person in this circle.”

Everyone else let out low sighs. “Play the _game_ ,” whined Brooke. She hadn't been so lucky. She was currently sitting on the carpet with her knees drawn up to her chest, stripped of her shirt, leggings and dog ears.

“Gee, Jake, it's almost like you're trying to get us drunk,” Chloe drawled. She took three swigs. “One for each person,” she mumbled, after Rich raised an eyebrow.

Brooke took four, Jake and Rich two and Christine none at all. Her face began to color and she became transfixed by the carpet as the other girls started to snigger. Jeremy vaguely registered that he should feel bad for her, but the two bottles of whiskey flowing through his blood didn't care. A sort of stupor had taken hold of him. He took a swig.

And suddenly his arm moved up again and he took another. What was that? he murmured internally.

_This makes you look more interesting. They'll all wonder who else you kissed besides Brooke._

‘But I _didn't_ kiss anyone besides Brooke!’ Jeremy protested, slowly becoming more animated. _Well, we're not going to let anyone know that now, are we?_

‘Lying’s wrong’, he mumbled, well aware of how childish he sounded but powerless to stop.

 _My, my,_ came the soft answer. A note of malice had crept into his voice and something inside Jeremy's chest started to tense. _Your drunken logic is pitiful. Whatever would you do without me._

A sharp pain behind his eyes, not unlike after a bright light flashing in the dark, made Jeremy wince. As he blinked, the room came into focus once more, a little clearer this time. His vague start of a headache subsided and his train of thought took off again.

‘What did you do?’ he asked, feeling faintly annoyed. The answer that followed nearly made him jump out of his skin.

The Squip was right next to him, sat against the armrest of the couch, casually leaning against Jeremy's knee. An uncorked bottle of bourbon rested in his left hand, and his face was turned up expectantly. His expression was sly.

Jeremy's mind finally registered the question. _Is this not what you wanted?_

‘Oh,’ he started, ‘oh- uh, yes, I guess, it's just a bit, um, distracting.’ He wondered  when his brain had last produced coherent thoughts, and if acquiring a mind-based supercomputer had anything to do with it.

The Squip actually snorted at that. _I'll show you distracting, all right._ The edge of his speech was slurred and his blue eyes actually sparked with dozens of small flashes of electricity.

‘You're drunk again, aren't you.’ It wasn't a question.

_Jeremiah, you needed some sobering up. Do keep playing, we want these people to enjoy your company._

Sighing, Jeremy turned his attention back to the game. Jake was doing push ups with Christine under him. She didn't look quite as bothered as she should have, and he felt a small twinge of bitterness.

“Rich, you now,” ordered Chloe. “Would you rather: spend seven minutes in a closet with the person to your right or- Wait a minute,” she cut off excitedly. “This is the exact same question you got last time. And Carmen. That's _impossible_. There aren't even supposed to be any repeats, no way could the same thing happen twice _to the same person._ You must've broken the system”.

Rich gave a dry little laugh. His face was flushed with whiskey and his eyes opened wide flickered around the room in rapid succession, as if he was becoming aware of an enemy approaching. “Must be a coincidence. You know my answer is still the first one.”

 _I think I'd go with the first one as well,_ whispered the Squip from its place by Jeremy. He was still nestled against his leg and showed no sign of pulling back.

Jeremy was curious. ‘What's the second one?’ _Massage the person across from one's shoulders._ Hmm. Slightly more mundane than he'd expected. _The third option involves bondage._ Startled, he coughed loudly.

Brooke was up next. “Do you ever dream about anyone here?” She flushed and started to answer, but Jeremy had already stopped listening. He felt distinctly uncomfortable looking at Brooke now that her shirt was off, but a quick blink at Jake, who was being decidedly unsubtle at guessing her bra size, proved that was not the case for everyone. He risked a glance down at the Squip.

 _Why yes,_ he was muttering, mimicking Brooke’s high-pitched chatter. _I dream of you every night, Jeremy. Don't you find that attractive? Aren't I the opposite of creepy and obsessive_?

Jeremy fought against a grin.

“You. Pick a number between eight and twelve.”

“Nine,” Christine answered, looking as if she'd rather be somewhere far away.

 _Eleven_ , said the Squip.

“Tell us nine lies you've told recently.”

The Squip yawned a little, and took a swig from his bottle, which was already nearly empty. _My turn is to tell ten lies and one truth._

‘You're playing now?’ Jeremy thought, amused. He could tell the computer was well across the line from tipsy into something stronger, but he'd never even considered it might want to participate. ‘And you understand this game?’

_It's as if you forget all I am is technology sometimes._

_Where to begin_ , he mused, and sat up to turn and face Jeremy with his whole body. He ran his hand through his dark, messy curls in a surprisingly human-like fashion and, very naturally, propped his elbow up on Jeremy's leg to support his head as he gazed absentmindedly.

Jeremy's mind went blank. Panic surged through, freezing up every muscle until all he could do was stare. This was _not_ normal behavior. Dazedly, he wondered what exactly what effects the alcohol was having on his Squip. He definitely didn't like it.

And then there was more warmth. The Squip’s other arm came to rest on his leg as well. He still didn't like it. Phantom fingers fiddled gently with the opening of his pocket. Oh god, maybe he did. His face was on fire. He felt like he was going to faint.

 _Let's see_ , the Squip was humming, and his eyes peered directly into Jeremy's. _Oh._ **_I_ ** _see._

It really wasn't fair. With smooth smugness, the Squip batted his eyelashes and smirked, never breaking eye contact, well aware of why Jeremy’s face currently looked like that of a cornered woodland creature. _You wanted this,_ he sing-sang mockingly. The fierce sparks in his eyes flashed and fizzled uncontrolled.

“Jeremy!”

The loud voice broke Jeremy out of his daze. He turned in time for Jake to punch him in the chest.

“Where's the fire?” he joked, praying none of them had noticed his whole deer-in-headlights act of the past two minutes.

“We've been calling your name for thirty seconds, man. It's your turn.”

He nodded sheepishly, and glanced over at Chloe, bracing himself for the attack to come.

“Truth or dare.”

He exhaled. “Really? I was expecting, I don't know, something a little more wild.”

Rich hooted, and Jake burst out laughing. Clearly, he was missing something. A wicked grin crept over Chloe’s face.

“Try me,” she said huskily. Brooke frowned.

“Truth,” he decided. The Squip sighed.

“Who here would you sleep with?”

Jeremy's breath caught in his throat. Oh, crap.

The other guys and Chloe dissolved into laughter at his obvious panic. Christine looked uncomfortable, and Brooke licked her lips suggestively at him. How great.

 _A nice hole you've chosen to die in_ , the Squip’s voice drawled. Jeremy was doing his best not to look at him, afraid of what his face would betray to the others. Obviously his answer was Christine, but he was technically dating Brooke, although he had to break up with her soon, and Chloe just scared him.

“And the dare?” he asked, trying to sound casual. Brooke’s face fell.

Chloe smirked at him triumphantly. “Oh, I don't care, you've told us enough.”

 _She thinks you want her._  How on earth could he sound so disinterested? This was a full-fledged battlefield he'd stumbled onto!

“Oh my God, can you stop making everything about you for once!” Brooke cried. Her face was flushed and her voice pitchy, but she still managed to stare down Chloe with surprising anger.

“Don't act like you didn't tell me to ask that, you hypocrite!” came the furious answer.

 _Get out of here while you still can_. As if they too had heard the Squip, Rich and Jake got up quickly, muttering excuses. They knew the girls much better than Jeremy did, and they probably knew when to step the hell away. Chloe and Brooke didn't even notice, too busy at screaming at each other. After a moment of nervous hesitation, Christine scampered after them.

 _Follow them._ The Squip was starting to sound slightly irritated. Jeremy still wouldn't look at him, and he didn't seem to like it. _Jeremy. Jeremy!_

The teenager in question stood up quickly and the Squip fell back to the floor with a very noticeable _thud._ Against his better judgement, Jeremy lowered his eyes.

It was the most lively he'd probably ever seen the Squip. A soft cherry had blossomed over most of his face, and he scowled fiercely, but unlike all the other times he'd been merely annoyed with Jeremy’s incompetence, the anger was matched by obvious hurt. Locks of messy hair had fallen loose over his forehead, and his eyes burned brighter than ever. In fact, his whole body seemed to be shining now, heating up like a star before it winked dark.

Jeremy stayed frozen as the Squip slowly got to its feet, brushed down its sides, and promptly walked off without a word. After a beat, he decided Chloe and Brooke weren't going to notice him anyway, and started off after him.

He darted through the crowd through the family room, up the stairs, across the kitchen and finally down the hallway to the living room, where the Squip slid open the glass doors and stepped out onto the porch. His hazy form leaned against the rail, dangling his forearms over the wooden edge, and looked out to the forest of a backyard below them.

Jeremy did the same. After maybe a minute, he turned back to face the Squip, who was staring at him with no sign of stopping. How long had he been doing that?

“Listen,” he started, taking in a deep breath. “I don't know what your deal is tonight, because of the alcohol, but I apologize for making you upset.”

 _Nonsense,_ the Squip scoffed. _My kind could never be bothered by mere humans._ But his expression shifted into something a bit lighter, and he slowly reached out his hand to flick Jeremy right below his collarbone, almost affectionately. _Don't assume your antics mean anything to me._

Jeremy figured that was as close to a thank you as he was going to get. He peered down to the garden once more. He wished he wasn't so keenly aware of the Squip’s touch: the nerves where he had been tapped still sang out excitedly almost a full minute later. What a sad excuse of a teenager he was. He willed them to stop before he was mocked again.

But, watching him from the corner of his eye, Jeremy could see that the Squip has yet to look away. In fact, his eyes remained focused on Jeremy. With a jolt, he realized that this was nothing new. In fact, it was always fairly easy to tell when the computer was miffed, because that was when he would start ignoring him. And Jeremy, no longer basking in the soft sense of security that came hand in hand with the gaze, would swallow and ask forgiveness and get back on track. When had their dynamic become so weird? From the beginning? No, it couldn't be. But when else?

Lost in thought, Jeremy didn't hear high heels echoing against the wood behind him. Two cold hands pressed over his eyes. He felt the Squip’s glare turn annoyed once more. Recognition shocked through him, but it was too late.

“Guess who,” whispered Chloe Valentine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there you have it, folks. Points to anyone who can spot the two expressions I made up and had to test out on a group chat to see if they could make sense in an actual context. This thing will probably end up being around 8 parts, and it will happen, however slowly. Thanks to all y'all out there who read the first chapter; I was honestly blown away by the sheer amount of you. All my love!


	3. Jeremy really doesn’t wanna hang

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s a chapter! It’s the next chapter! Jeremy finds himself trapped in the clutches of one Chloe Valentine, but will her sudden drunken interest be the most surprising revelation he experiences?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s been a while, an unforgivable while at that. Hope you all like this third forray into Jeremy’s first party; he’s enjoying himself less and less, so we’ve got to compensate somehow

How Jeremy came to be climbing up the spiral staircase to the attic of Jake’s house behind a staggering Chloe Valentine, he wasn’t quite sure himself. After she found him on the patio, Chloe has seized his hand and breathed into his ear about what Brooke wanted to give him. Prompted by the Squip, who’d been swaying almost in tandem with Chloe, he’d asked whether a square punch to the jaw qualified as a gift.

“Ohmygosh, you’re soo funnyy,” she’d giggled. “Maybe I’ll be- have something to give to him- umm, you, too.”

And that was how he’d ended up in what he now realized was a suite bedroom at the top of the house, with no Brooke in sight. 

The Squip, much to Jeremy’s dismay, was still standing entirely too close, a hair’s length barely separating his soft blue outline from Jeremy’s right shoulder blade, not that he was paying the faint warmth all that much attention, no, and he certainly hadn’t been over his eighth-grade biology notes last week to be able to identify which parts of his skin flickered to life as the Squip’s electricity grew nearer- no. Certainly not.

Slowly, Jeremy turned his head to meet the Squip’s blue gaze. In response, the Squip merely quirked an eyebrow.

_ A problem? _ he drawled, undoubtedly bemused.

A shiver tore down Jeremy’s back, settling at the base of his spine in a few spots of burning cold. He didn’t dare look down to see if it was the Squip’s fingers or merely his own depraved imagination. He shook his head slightly, dazed. 

“Jerry!” Chloe whined, pulling him back to physical reality. 

“Where’s Brooke?” he felt the need to inquire, but although his experience with girls could be chalked up to a puffy round balloon, Jeremy wasn’t always a complete idiot. The girls had been fighting, and he’d seen enough teen comedies to know how this would play out. She’d try and kiss him, and stop a few inches from his face, overcome by guilt. Then she’d run out and go make up with her best friend, and Jeremy would be free to slink away to a hallway somewhere to ponder what effect the Squip was having on his brain.

Hugging the bannister with one arm, Chloe carefully undid the buckles on her heels and kicked them off. Jeremy noticed how her hand kept missing the shoes: it appeared that along with basic coherence, depth perception had been the first attribute for her intoxicated mind to shut down. She then proceeded to walk towards him, both arms held out for balance, but swerved at the last minute and crashed straight into the wall behind Jeremy.

He briefly wondered whether he should offer an ice pack or call an Uber, but then Chloe started making out with a painting.

On the wall by the window hung a Romantic-era portrait of some young fellow with dark hair and a sulky expression. That was all Jeremy had time to see, however, because Chloe had taken to kissing him frantically, gripping the frame more to steady herself than anything else. She began to moan and gasp and thrust her hips up against the wall- that is, until Jeremy let out a cough and she turned around blearily.

“Oh, wasn’t you,” she mumbled. “Nevermind.” 

‘Christ, how drunk is she?’ Jeremy grumbled internally.

_ Oh, that’s hardly fair, _ the Squip began, leering from the bench he’d fallen onto.  _ Did you know, Jeremiah, I myself certainly would have confused you with that brooding delight of a boy; but no painting I’ve encountered of yet blushes as prettily.  _ He winked.

‘Are you- are you coming onto, uh, me?’

_ Don’t be ridiculous _ , he murmured. Then winked again.

‘Oh god, are you gay?’

_ Like you’re not? _

A sharp  _ crack  _ popped, and Jeremy dimly realized its source when shooting pain flared through his spine. He’d straightened painfully fast, and his eyes were now shielded, turned upwards to the ceiling and closed in a silent prayer to anyone, to  _ anything _ , for this all to be some twisted nightmare and to wake up in his own bed. His computer was gay?  _ He _ was gay? What the fuck? The Squip was drunk, nothing he could say meant anything. But still, the three words echoed in the empty silence of his mind, a silence that roared louder and louder, swirling and screeching and locking into place with a sick sort of clarity.

_ Like you’re not? _

_ Like  _ **_you’re_ ** _ not? _

**_Like you’re not_ ** _? _

“Jesus Christ,” he rasped. Admittedly, it did account for a certain number of things. Then he spun around to face the Squip, who appeared stricken. ‘But I want Christine!’

_ You want to  _ **_date_ ** _ Christine, Jeremiah, _ the Squip slurred, eyes more piercing than ever.  **_Who_ ** _ you want is entirely different. _

It was then that Chloe grabbed Jeremy by the shirt, dragged him over to the bed. She sat him down with a weak giggle and started to unbutton her top.

“Oh- oh, no,” Jeremy said hurriedly. “I, uh- Chloe, you’re cool and all, but I really don’t-“

“Shhhh” she crooned, and started to sing quietly. It was some terrible little snippet from a children’s program she’d modified, and it did not sound good. Chloe could’ve been a world-class opera singer sober, Jeremy certainly wouldn’t have known, but at the moment she most closely resembled a talking doll whose battery had run out and could only produce agonizing screeches.

“Do you wanna hang, do you wanna hang, do you wanna hang for a bit?” 

Her top was thrown to the side, exposing lacy  pink lingerie, and she started on the zipper of her skirt, still warbling away.

“Just you and me, intimately, talking about all of our feelings-“ she leaned in, and grinned proudly. “And shit!”

The Squip was laughing silently. _You realize she came up with this sober._ _Who was she planning to sleep with in the first place, I wonder?_

“Do you wanna get, do you wanna get, do you wanna get really deep?” With a series of painfully awkward hip movements, in her underwear, Chloe was attempting to do what appeared to be pole-dancing without a pole. Jeremy wondered if this was what Jake liked. He cringed.

“We could connect-“  _ Not likely, _ snorted the Squip. “If I get wrecked-“  _ Already happened _ , he sing-songed. “You could rock this baby fast asweep.” 

That was enough for Jeremy. He jumped up to his feet- then discovered he hadn’t moved a muscle. 

‘I. Can’t. Move. My. Legs,’ he thought furiously. ‘What the fuck have you done?’

The Squip simply rose from his bench and came over to sit beside Jeremy. Chloe had resumed her warbling, but all Jeremy could make out was the pounding pressure of his blood in his ears as his panic grew larger and wilder.

_ Jeremiah _ , the phantom began,  _ the goal I have calibrated your life with is to get Christine. This is the path to take _ .

‘I don’t want Chloe!’ He was shouting now; shouting in his head, to a being who didn’t even truly exist. ‘I never wanted her, and if you think I’m… that I like… that I’m not even  _ interested  _ in girls, why would you ever let me get here?’

The Squip fluttered its eyelashes up at Jeremy woefully, but remained silent.

‘Let me go,’ he begged, as Chloe started crawling towards him, attempting to slide off her tights by rubbing her legs energetically on the bedspread. ‘Not this. Not her!’

_ You wouldn’t comprehend, Jeremiah.  _

‘Try me!’ A sick sort of fear, poking deep inside him, through his guts and nerve ends, was taking over.

But then the Squip was suddenly moving his legs up onto the bed, stretched out towards Chloe.

‘No!’ Oh, why had he ever bought the pill? To make his life better? What a sham, what a painful, bitter ending this would be-

And then the Squip was looming over him, crouching in the empty space between his knees. Jeremy’s fear abruptly merged into a new sort of panic, one he felt even less qualified to deal with.

In mute silence, he gaped at the Squip as he leaned closer and closer, and stretched out a hand to stroke Jeremy’s jaw. ‘This is it,’ he registered dimly. ‘This is how I’m going to die.’

The Squip gave him a slow, smug smile, and Jeremy failed to breathe for the next forty seconds.

_ My plan for you was calibrated with certain facts as pillars to the entire structure. You want Christine; therefore, one of these facts was your attraction to women. Spending a few - please, Jeremy, who do you think you are, really, just a few - pleasant minutes with Chloe lines up with what we originally supposed. We agreed that to get Christine you’d climb the ladder. This is a rung like any other. _

Jeremy was reduced to silent, fearful horror. Everything he said was true - but then why did it feel so  _ wrong _ ?

_ If this girl is truly so repulsive to you, I can make the experience easier, _ the phantom continued, trailing an index down the boy’s throat. His intentions left little room for doubt.  _ We’ll simply wipe the memory when the deed has been done. _

And very slowly, the Squip dropped closer and closer, leaning down his head, eyes glistening in the half-light, until Jeremy could almost  _ feel _ the simmer and crackle of electricity on his lips. 

He was just about blue in the face.

And then, without warning, he found himself with a mouthful of Chloe. 

Turning his head frantically in an effort to shake her off, Jeremy spotted the Squip perched on a dresser in the corner. ‘What a fucking tease,’ he thought, suddenly angry with himself, for daring to be  _ disappointed _ , of all things.

Kissing Chloe was decidedly unpleasant. She tasted like liquor and misery, and kept trying to seemingly wiggle her tongue down Jeremy’s throat, all while moaning as if she was auditioning for a certain type of movie. Perhaps she thought she was.

The sound of shattering glass was what finally did it. Jeremy bolted upright, Chloe tumbling to the floor in the process. Shards of broken window decorated the right half of the room, and on the other side of the frame was a very drunk, very upset, Jake Dillinger.

“Jeremy!” he yelled, eyes unfocused. “Are you having sex in my parents’ guest room?”

“No!!” Jeremy was quick to yell back. “Look, we’re not even kissing anymore! You can go!” He rather hoped, in fact, that the Squip would  _ make the experience easier _ once more; and Chloe would forgive him for sacrificing her to the carpet.

“I WANTED TO HAVE SEX IN MY PARENTS’ GUEST ROOM,” bellowed Jake, and the lasser he’d used from the porch began to sway.

“Oh- okay? Yeah, I can leave if you want-“

“WITH CHLOE.”

“Uh, sure. She’s wasted though, don’t take advantage or anything-“

“JEREMY, DID YOU RAPE MY GIRLFRIEND?”

“NO” he screamed. The night had managed to take a pitiful turn for the worse.

“I’m gonna kill you,” Jake slurred, and he lifted himself over the windowsill, then ran to Chloe’s side.

“Babe, you good?”

She opened her eyes very slowly, and batted them. “I’m good, you scumbag. We broke up, wemember? Jeremy obviously wanted to fuck me, so I dared Brooke to go hook up with that blonde cheerleader with the huge boobs, so she’ll feel guilty enough not to blame him for cheating, and we were just getting down to it when  _ you  _ dropped by.”

“That’s it, man.” Jake turned to Jeremy, a drooping smile on his face. The cheeriness in his eyes matched nothing else in the room. “You die.”

He took a few, stumbling steps towards the door, which Jeremy had inched up to while the madness had been taking place.

Jeremy figured he probably couldn’t do much to hurt him, if walking itself was a feat, so he calmly pushed the other’s flailing arms aside and opened the door.

“Chloe!” He called. “Sleep with him, you have my blessing.” 

Immediately, Chloe seemed to leap across the floorboards to press against Jake, opening her mouth for some more kissing. He obliged, and Jeremy ran, pursued by the awful little wet sounds and moans that color the art of making out, desperately wishing he’d thought to close the door behind.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there you have it. No promises on when the next will happen, but it will! Thank you for reading, see you around! And of course, all my love!

**Author's Note:**

> In honor of Halloween, here's the first installement of my filling-in-the-blanks of Jake's party. So far, I'm mainly setting the scene, but stay tuned for some truth or dare, bad decisions, and more.


End file.
